Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-04-28
MICHIGAN MINING.

ITtDUHe-DeCtF or l mixing, per
haps, my many friends and acquaint-
ances at home would be pleased to
hear something about Lake Superior
and the great iron mines of Mar
quette county, | will, with your per
mission, try to give them what little
information | am able concerning
Marquette county iron mines.
Ishpeming is situated in the cen
ire of an immense ore basin, on n
piece Of swamp land. Right south
of the main business street is the
great Lake Superior mine. This is
one Of the largest iron mines in this
country. On the northwest is sit
uated the Barnum mine. This mine
takes its name from Billy Barnum,
so long chairman of the Democratic
committee in New York city. The
vein in this mine dips directly under
the city, "a d. the vein of the Lake
Superior mine on the south. To the
west is the Cleveland mine. This
vein dips directly west under the
city So you see just what mean
by saying the city is situated in the
centre of an immense ore basin.
The Lake Superior mine is the
largest shipper in the county, having
shipped about 100000 tons Of iron
ore last year. This mine works about
400 men. Its equipments are fine,
and are not excelled by any of the
mines in the county. There are sew
en- shafts from which ore is being
hoisted. The ore is hoisted in skIps,
and will carry from one to three
tons to each haul. A part Of this
mine is composed of hematlte, or
soft ore.
The Cleveland * the next of our
Ishpeming mines ~ producer.
Last years oatput being something
like 10000 tons. This mine is
worked very extensively, and every
place where ore can be had there Is
force of men at work. 1t has some
or 7 skips hosting ore, and is
worked for all it Is worth. On night
shift this mine aud the Lake Super
Tor are lighted with electric lights,
each mine having an electric engine
capable Of running from ? to lG
lamps. They are both dangerous
mines to a great extent, aud many
places in some of the pits the roof,
or hanging as it is more commonly
called here, are SO high from the
bottom that it is n difficult matter to
get to it. Many men have been
killed in these two mines during my
stay in this city (seven years next
Juue), and this has caused the com-
pauies to adopt more scientific min
lug principles to work upon. They
are not as dangerous as they were a
few years ago, and it is sincerely
hoped they never will be again.
The Barnum mine is by far the
safest iron mine on the Lakes. 1t
is worked ON scientific principles,
and is the only mine spoken Of as
being safe to work in. The method
used in blasting is different from
any of the others, and is by far the
safest
Giant powder is used exclusively
i'm all of these mines. At the Bar
mum they have caps attached to two
seperate copper wires, These wires
are about six feet long. The cap Is
placed in the last stick or cartridge
OF powder To be put in the hole,
lust az fuse is used To this the
leaders, or long wires, are connected
and extend the whole, or part, of
the length of the level, SO as to be
safe from the blast An electric
battery is used to explode the caps,
and of course the caps explode the
dynamite. This is the safest pos
slble method used for blasting.
There is no danger with burning
fuse or squibs. The moment the
lever of the battery is brought down
the explosion occurs, or else some
thing is wrong with caps or wires,
Nou loose the thumb screws that
hold the wires fast 10 the battery
and all is as safe as if it was never
tried. | once heard one man ask
another cine first Tune he ever saw a
battery used) if he would have time
I'd ran when the fuse spit. We
think If he had made the attempt be
would have run into eternity in just
about one second. In this mine
they 90 in and out on cage. Some
places are very wet, and miners are
nut 10 considerable expense Ia buy
mo oil clothes or rubbee suit, IN
order to keep dry. These are still.
within the clty limits, but not So
near the business portion.
Three other mIues-the New
York mine. which was owned ~ one
time almost entirely by SAINT J. Til
den; the Lake Angelina and Pitts
Hos